Tulare County Board of Supervisors (8/30/22) Pixley water concerns + 29-acre industrial rezone + taxation rate approved

Here’s what you need to know

• The Tulare County Board of Supervisors met on August 30 and presented proclamations recognizing National Suicide Prevention Week and September 17, 2022 as Museum Day in Tulare County. Members of the Tulare County Suicide Prevention Task Force spoke about suicide rates in Tulare County, such as a rise in the 65 and up age group. Members of the Museum Alliance spoke of the various organizations they partner with and how they are mostly volunteer-based and receive a minimal budget.

• The supervisors approved a rezone request from the Resource Management Agency for 29 acres from agricultural to light manufacturing to allow for a 50,000-square-foot industrial building to be built  on the southeast corner of SR 65 and Ave. 124, south of Porterville. 

• Four residents of Pixley spoke during the public comment period asking for access to safe water in their community. One of the speakers said she had reached out to the board asking where they could get safe water and received no response. Fernando Rios, a board member of the Tule Basin Management Zone, said they are working on putting safe water stations in Pixely and other communities that need them.

• The rate of taxation was approved for the 2021/22 fiscal year at the rate of $1 per $100 of assessed valuation of taxable property.

Follow-up Questions

• Why was the Tulare County Gang Prevention Task Force dissolved? Under what conditions has it “fulfilled its purpose”?
• Will the board implement a 30-day comment period for the budget hearing?

Board of Supervisors

• Larry Micari, District One
• Pete Vander Poel III, District Two
• Amy Shuklian, District Three
• Eddie Valero – Chairman, District Four
• Dennis Townsend – Vice Chair, District Five
• Jason T. Britt, County Administrative Officer
• Jennifer M. Flores, County Council
• Melinda Benton, Chief Clerk

The Scene

The Tulare County Board of Supervisors meeting was held simultaneously both in-person and streamed via YouTube and Zoom at 9 a.m. on August 30, 2022. The meeting began with the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence. 

Actions

• Board of Supervisors matters
  • Supervisor Vander Poel
    • Last week was the State of the City and State of the County Address.
    • Upcoming is a Tulare County LAFCO meeting, and the Tulare 9/11 memorial blood drive. He gave a shout out to Kiki Torrez.
  • Supervisor Shuklian
    • Last week was the ribbon cutting of the emergency communications center, Salt + Light neighborhood groundbreaking, presented an award to Valhalla Restaurant’s 40th anniversary, San Joaquin Valley Insurance Authority meeting, State of the County, Government Finance Committee meeting, Salt + Light soiree, ImagineU gala, and she met with owner of Deuce Lounge.
    • Upcoming is a CSAC meeting, Board of Directors meeting, services for Joshua Burks, handing out backpacks with Child Welfare services, Tagus Ranch reunion, and she will be speaking at the TCFD 9/11 ceremony.
  • Supervisor Micari
    • Last week was the Tulare County Sheriff and Fire department dispatch center ribbon cutting, ImagineU gala, Valhalla Restaurant’s 40th anniversary, and a foothill Rotary meeting in Lindsay.
    • Upcoming, he will be speaking at the foothill rotary meeting in Lindsay, a meeting with Resources for Independence, East Kaweah GSA, LAFCO, Proteus gala, 9/11 events, and Labor Day weekend.
  • Supervisor Townsend
    • Last week was the dispatch center ribbon cutting, Neighborhood Village groundbreaking, Success Reservoir enlargement project at Success Lake, and the Salt + Light soiree.
    • Upcoming is the Easter Tule GSA meeting, First Friday Coffee with the Porterville Chamber of Commerce, Labor Day, LAFCO, a meeting with the CAO, Harmony of Magnet Academy Advisory Board meeting, Valley Voice DC trip planning meeting, Senator Shannon Grove’s event, speaking at Mary’s Vineyard and Belle’s Across America for 9/11, and a meeting with GSA Director.
  • Supervisor Valero
    • Last week was the Salt +Light groundbreaking and soiree, breakfast with Bob Goff at Neighborhood Church, and the ImagineU gala. He gave a shout out to Maria Herrara, State Director for USDA rural development. He also attended a Northern Tulare County Advancing Equity Rural Conversations meeting. He thanked Denise England and Southern California Edison’s Transmissions and Right of Way Group, and helped distribute backpacks.
    • Upcoming is an infrastructure roundtable with the governor’s office, services for Mr. Burks, Latino Caucus of California Counties, Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park Update meeting, Badger Bingo, #Lead Committee meeting and welcome, Farmer Bob’s meeting, and the groundbreaking for Monson-Sultana Elementary School’s new gym, library, and classroom projects. He will also attend Proteus’ 55th anniversary gala and the unveiling of the 9/11 memorial in Cutler. 
• Present a proclamation recognizing September 4-10, 2022 as National Suicide Prevention Week in Tulare County.
  • Supervisor Townsend presented the proclamation.
  • Kasey Innes, Darcy Massey, Aaron Briant of the Tulare County Suicide Prevention Task Force (SPTF) gave a presnetition on the task force.
    • Formed in 2009
    • There were 36 suicides in 2020 and 35 in 2021 in Tulare County. The largest age group of these were ages 25-34. Last year was the first teen suicide in years.
    • Currently there have been 23 suicides this year with an increase of suicides in the age group of 65 and older. 
    • 2015 had the highest amount of suicides and 2019 had the lowest.
  • Supervisor Vander Poel asked how these numbers compare to the national average. Massey said nationally males commit suicide more often than females and firearms were the most common means. This is comparable to the data in Tulare County.
  • Supervisor Valero asked about the reason for an increase in suicides of ages 65+. Innes said it is a new data trend that they are looking into.
  • Their strategic plan involved looking at data, surveying the community, and creating a three-year suicide prevention plan involving five priority areas.
    • Prepare community members to recognize warning signs
    • Identify at-risk individuals and refer them to care
    • Implement suicide prevention policies in schools
    • Reduce stigma
    • Support individuals after their suicide attempt
  • Their goal is to strengthen their programs, promote effective practices, develop prevention programs, improve data collection systems, and let the community know of the resources available to them.
  • The (Local Outreach to Survivors of Suicide) LOSS Team meets with people who have lost people due to suiucie buecasue they are at a higher risk of suiuce themselves.
  • 988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
  • The board took pictures with the speakers.
• Present a proclamation recognizing September 17, 2022 as Museum Day in Tulare County.
  • Supervisor Valero presented the proclamation.
  • Brooke Sisk, Kyle Taylor, Amy King-Sunderson, and members of the Museum Alliance spoke.
    • King-Sunderson, Tulare County Museum Curator, spoke about the Museum Alliance. It began in 2019 and now has 29 organizations. Many of the organizations are run by volunteers and a minimal budget. They appreciate the recognition.
  • The board took pictures with the speakers.
• The consent calendar was approved
  • Item 13 was removed for future consideration. It regarded a lease agreement with Kaweah Delta Health Care.
  • Supervisor Townsend clarified that Item 30 is for a mitigated negative declaration for the White River Bridge and staff will reach out to the landowner for the final design.
  • The remainder of the consent calendar was approved, which included dissolving the Tulare County Gang Prevention Task Force (Item 10), approval of the 2022 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (Item 36), and reaffirmation of an emergency at the Visalia Landfill due to a well failure (Item 40).
• (Approved) Request from the Resource Management Agency to introduce an ordinance amending the Tulare County Zoning Ordinance, for Change of Zone No. PZC 21-009 to change the zone on approximately 29.0-acres from AE-10 (Exclusive Agriculture – 10 Acre Minimum) to M-1 (Light Manufacturing), on property located on the southeast corner of State Route 65 and Avenue 124, south of Porterville. Set the adoption of the ordinance for September 13, 2022.
  • Aaron Bock, RMA Assistant Director, presented the ordinance. 
    • The request is from Fernando Rios of Rainbow Insurance Services Inc. to change the zone from exclusive agricultural (AE-10) to light manufacturing (M-1). He requests building a 50,000 square foot industrial building. Because the project received a score of 15 from the RVLP analysis, it is in a “gray area” because the score was less than 17.
  • Supervisor Micari asked what gave it a score of 15 and why that was a gray area. Bock said 17 was the high and 11 was the low, making 15 in the middle.
  • Property owner Fernando Rios clarified the project is not in a water or irrigation district. Caltrans had no opposition.
    • Supervisor Micari thanked Rios for clarifying that the land is not in production.
  • Approved
• (Approved) Request from the Auditor-Controller Department to approve the rate of taxation of the State and County for fiscal year 2022/23 to be collected upon the taxable property of the County of Tulare, State of California, at the rate of $1 per $100 of assessed valuation. 
  • Approve the tax rates as shown on Schedule A. Direct that they be levied and direct that they be collected upon each $100 valuation of the taxable property of the unitary and operating non-unitary property of the County of Tulare as computed pursuant to the provision of law. 
  • Approve the tax rates as shown on Schedule B. Direct that they be levied and direct that they be collected upon each $100 valuation of the taxable property of the several school districts of said County, for raising the necessary amount to pay the principal and interest on the bonds and for special purposes for said school districts. 
  • Approve the Special District Tax Rates as shown on Schedule C. Direct that they be levied and direct that they be collected upon each $100 valuation of the taxable property of the various districts included on the schedule of Special Districts. 
  • Approve and accept the Statement of the Valuation of the Property in Tulare County as compiled by the County Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector (Auditor) and filed with this Board. 
  • All of the bond tax rates have been approved by the voters of Tulare County.
  • Approved
• (Approved) Request from the Resource Management Agency to approve the Business Opportunities Work Program, the Film Commission Work Program and the Tourism Work Program.
  • Mike Washam, RMA Associate Director, presented the request.
  • Film Commission
    • Assists the film industry by finding locations, securing permits, and helping filmmakers with resources. They are supported by the Tulare County Association of Governments. 
  • Tourism Program
    • Markets the community as a place to “live, work, and play”. Some of its partners are the Sequoia Tourism Council, Mighty 190, and the U. S. Forest Service.
  • Business Opportunities
    • They have rapid response and have streamlined the permitting process
  • Staff has outreached to various programs to educate about economic development.
  • Current Economic Activity
    • Permits issued have increased with 4,322 issued in 2021/22
    • 2021/21 had a valuation of 495.3 million
    • Some key industries are agriculture, healthcare, and renewable energy.
  • The Board thanked Washam and staff for their hard work on these projects.
  • Approved
• (Approved) Request from the Resource Management Agency to approve a program to respond to the Negative Economic Impacts to Tourism, Travel, or Hospitality, in an amount not to exceed $500,000, per the Tulare County American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), Final Recovery Plan. Approve the necessary budget adjustments.
  • Mike Washam gave the presentation
  • Last year Tulare County’s travel related spending was $460.1 million, State and Local tax revenue was $47.7 million, and travel related employment was 5.4 thousand.
  • The top industries of travel spending in Tulare County are accommodations and food service.
  • Compared to before the pandemic, travel spending was down by 30.9% in 2021.
  • The goal is to increase and support tourism and travel.
  • Some partners are the Sequoia Tourism Council, Mighty 190, and Three Rivers Historical Society.
  • Some marketing outlets are magazines, travel guides, and discovertularecounty.com.
  • Supervisor Valero suggested creating a parking lot in Three Rivers.
  • Approved
• There were no board matter requests

Public Comment

• Elvia Olea, Policy Advocate for Tulare County with Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability, said low income communities are concerned about water contamination and pollution. She recommended the annual budget allocate funding that prioritizes community needs as well as a 30-day comment period after the budget hearing for the public to provide feedback. Some of the recommendations are expanding the water bottle program and developing an emergency fund for when the community doesn’t have access to water. She provided the board with a full list of recommendations.

• Four residents of Pixley advocated for access to safe water in their community. The speaker said she had asked where they could get safe water but got no response. She also requested they add transportation for seniors to the Earlimart Community Center to the budget. She expressed concerns about homelessness, park hazards, and housing. She appreciated Suicide Prevention week.
  • Supervisor Shuklian suggested the speaker tell the Mental Health Branch about the homeless person she is concerned about so that they can reach out to him.

• Benjamin, resident of Tooleville, said he was there to “demand” a 30-day comment period after the budget hearing. He supports the recommendations made by Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability. 

• Fernando Rios, a board member of the Tule Basin Management Zone, said they are working on putting safe drinking water stations in Pixley, Porterville, Poplar, and other communities that need them.

• Gwen Schrank spoke about her organization, Schrank’s Clubhouse, that helps people advocate for themselves as well as suicide prevention. She said she would bring water to the speakers in Pixley who spoke about drinking water concerns. She requested a support letter form the board because they are applying for a grant.

The meeting adjourned to a closed session. There is no meeting next week due to Labor Day.

If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at documenters@fresnoland.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.